Moses erected the tabernacle uses the same verb as in verses 2 and 17. The third person singular is used throughout this section, meaning that Moses supervised all the work of setting up the tabernacle. It should not be thought that Moses did all of this by himself while the people stood and watched. This would have been impossible. So in many languages one may express this as “Moses had them erect the tabernacle.”
He laid its bases, literally “he gave [or, put] its bases,” may be rendered as “Moses put down its bases” (Good News Translation) or “he put the bases in place” (New International Version). (See 26.19.) And set up its frames, literally “and he placed its frames,” may be rendered as “erected the frames” (New International Version) or “inserted the frames” (Revised English Bible). (See 26.15.) And put in its poles, literally “and he gave [or, put] its bars,” may be rendered as “attached its crossbars” (Good News Translation), “inserted its bars” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “its crossbars were inserted.” (See 26.26.) And raised up its pillars, literally “and he caused its pillars to stand up,” may be rendered as “put up its posts” (Good News Translation) or “set up its columns” (New American Bible). Contemporary English Version puts all of this into the passive voice, “The posts, stands, and framework were put in place.”
And he spread the tent over the tabernacle is literally “and he spread out the ʾohel upon the mishkan.” This uses the same expression as 26.7 and 36.14, so it refers to the eleven curtains of goats’ hair that had been fastened together (see 36.8-10) and spread out over the ten linen curtains of the mishkan (see 36.8). We must assume that the linen curtains were already spread out upon the framework, although this step is not listed.
And put the covering of the tent over it, literally “and he placed the covering of the ʾohel upon it from above,” refers to the third layer made of “tanned rams’ skins” (26.14), and possibly the fourth layer as well, which was made of tachash skins. Here we must think of the covering as having two layers, but it should not affect the translation. (See the discussion of the problem at 26.14.)
As the LORD had commanded Moses is the same formula used repeatedly in chapter 39. (See the comment at 39.1.) It is again used seven times in this chapter. (See the introductory comment to chapter 39.) Because this is describing what Moses did, it is more natural to say “as Yahweh had commanded him.” New American Bible has “as the LORD had commanded him” here and in all the following instances. Contemporary English Version has “These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses,” with the implicit meaning that Moses had others do the work. Good News Translation simply omits Moses entirely, “just as the LORD had commanded.”
Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .